by Fr Raymond Raj
Acts 13:14,43-52
Psalm 99:1-3,5
Apocalypse 7:9,14-17
John 10:27-30
Theme: The Good Shepherd Safeguards Our Unity, Security and Destiny
Speaking of mothers, ‘Mother‘ is the name for God in the lips and hearts of every children.
The 1st President of United States of America, Lincoln, once he said this:
All that I am, all that I ever hope to be, I owe it to my mother.
Brothers and sisters in the Lord, always remember this. Even if the whole world has turned against you, even if the whole world has betrayed you, your mother will remain faithful to you because (you know why?) mother, your mother is your first and last love of your life.
Today the Catholic church celebrates Vocation Sunday. Brothers and sisters in the Lord, vocation is a precious gift that God sows in our hearts. A call to leave everything behind and embark on a journey of love and service.
Therefore, my dear friends, every vocation in the Catholic church, whether marriage, priesthood or religious life is a sign of God’s hope. God’s hope which is entrusted to this world and to His children.
Speaking of vocation to the priesthood, a little story I wish to share with you.
Last weekend, last Sunday, two mothers were seen quarreling, debating outside the church entrance. Last Sunday, two mothers were spotted quarreling, fighting, screaming outside the entrance of the church.
Their argument was whose son is more qualified, whose son is more worthy to become a Catholic priest. Two mothers were fighting on whose children, whose son is more worthy to become a Catholic priest.
The first mother said,
“My son is very tall, dark, handsome. He has a beautiful voice, a very deep voice. In terms of education, he has double Masters. He is very pious. So, my son is the right candidate, is the right choice to become a Catholic priest.” Says the 1st mother.
Hearing this, the 2nd mother said, “No, no, no, no, no. My son is more worthy than your son because my son has a good relationship with the Parish Priest. He is very close with the Parish Priest. They go out together all the time. Furthermore, my son is a lector, a good lector like Anita. Anita is not a man, sorry. My son can sing very well. He can sing the psalm beautifully every Sunday. Therefore, my son is the one who is worthy to become a Catholic priest.”
As both of them were shouting outside the church entrance, a voice came down from heaven and said, a voice from heaven said,
“Both of you can keep on dreaming. Both of you keep on dreaming. To become a priest or not is my will. Not your will.”
Brothers and sisters in the Lord, vocation to the priesthood or marriage life is truly a mystery. No one has the right to justify or question the sanctity of vocation.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus says,
“I have full possession, full control of my sheep. My sheep belong to me. No one can steal them away from me.”
I suppose, my dear friends, there is rather a catch in today’s Gospel. Because if you read today’s Gospel carefully you will realise something. Jesus says, “The sheep that LISTEN to my voice will receive eternal life and they will never be lost.”
So, the catchphrase in today’s Gospel is “The sheep that LISTENS to my voice.”
Brothers and sisters in the Lord, if you and I refuse to listen or rather pretend to be deaf, then do not blame anyone if you feel lost, if you feel hopeless. If you pretend to be deaf, if you refuse to listen to the Word of God, then please don’t blame your parents, your Parish Priest, your formators and henceforth.
The relationship between the shepherd and the sheep is grounded on the word “Listen“. Because you know what my dear friends? Listening simply means to obey. Obedience. Even for me as a Catholic priest, if I am not obedient to God, if I am not listening to God, not listening to my Bishop, I will be lost and hopeless in my ministry as a priest.
So brothers and sisters in the Lord, the universal message of Good Shepherd Sunday is to listen, to obey to our One and True Shepherd Jesus Christ. He IS the True Shepherd, the Good Shepherd.
Of course, to listen to Jesus Christ you and I must be familiar with His voice. And His voice is founded in the Holy Scriptures. Unless and until, my dear friends, we value, appreciate the Word of God, our relationship with the Shepherd remains at stake, very, very, very risky.
So today in this Holy Mass, we pray for all the mothers in the world and also all the priests who have shepherd us, who has led us to the green pasture.
Amen.
Click below to listen to homily and watch video
Click to live-stream Mass on 10 May 2025